Local Tourism & Events News The latest updates on tourism projects, events, and business opportunities relevant to local businesses in the tourism industry. Spring is here and so are the little bursts of new growth on all the bare branches that winter left behind. Tourism businesses are buzzing with the constant flow of travellers visiting Glen Innes Highlands in these last few weeks, ready to discover what our town has to offer. No matter how long our visitors have available to spend in our region, our expert tourism team is ready to direct them to events and places they have never been before and those that offer exceptional service, food and experiences. This is why it is so important to let us know if you are offering a new product, experience or event. Email the details and any promotional material or imagery to [email protected]. Be sure to let your customers and visitors know they can view our events calendar, news and information about local experiences on the Glen Innes Highlands website or they can visit the Glen Innes Visitor Information Centre, which also stocks a range of local products, gifts and souvenirs. Rhonda Bombell Tourism & Events Officer Economic Development Team Glen Innes Severn Council | | Local Business Opportunities & Industry Updates | | | Is Your Accommodation Listed on Our Website? The Glen Innes Highlands (GIH) website promotes local accommodation to help our visitors find a place to stay and increase the chances of them staying in our region for longer. Previously, these listings were manually added and maintained by our team. | | | However, our website is now set up to feed these listings directly from the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW). That means your accommodation must be listed there for it to appear on our website. | | Highlands HUB to Cater for Local Businesses, Events & Digital Nomads - Launching Soon! | | Glen Innes Severn Council has been funded under the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund to fit out a co-working space at 167 Grey Street, Glen Innes. The funding will also enable subsidised training and workshops for one year following the opening of the Hub later this month. People can book a desk or office at the HUB for an hour, a day, a week or months at a time. The facility also has a training room, boardroom, meeting rooms and a community coworking lounge. Prices vary according to the space and time booked. Hot desks in the community co-working lounge can be booked for just $20 per day, including internet, tea & coffee. Online booking will soon be available. In the meantime, follow the Facebook page for updates or email [email protected] for more information and pre-bookings. This local economic recovery project is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and the NSW Government under Disaster Funding Arrangements. | | Alfresco Dining Rebate Extended Measures to encourage alfresco dining are being extended for another 18 months to further support the hospitality industry. The temporary alfresco measures enable hospitality businesses to use a range of spaces for outdoor dining, such as parks and car parks, without the need for a separate application. Learn more. | | | Retail Tenancy Guide The Retail Tenancy Guide is there to assist tourism providers who need advice on managing a retail lease, including tenants, landlords and agents. It also includes the recently published Mediation Guide, which provides assistance to tenants, landlords and indeed any business that may be currently involved in a dispute. Learn more. | | | | Rise in Hospitality Spend New Australian Bureau of Statistics data has been released and shows an increase of 9.2% to NSW household spending on hotels, cafes and restaurants in June. This is a positive sign for those business categories that were most impacted by COVID-19, as it shows spending is returning to pre-pandemic levels. Learn more. | | Let's Stop it & Swap it NSW tourism businesses and hospitality providers will need to make the switch to reusable alternatives by 1 November 2022. This means alternatives to plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery, bowls, plates, polystyrene containers and cups, single-use plastic cotton buds and some personal care products containing plastic microbeads. Learn more. | | Stallholders Wanted - Christmas in the Highlands We are seeking stallholders for the 2022 Christmas in the Highlands event held Thursday 24 November. If you're a local artisan or community group and would like to register for a free stall to sell and promote your products at this family-friendly event, apply now! | | | Business operators in Grey Street are also encouraged to think about how they can get involved, such as extending business trading hours or having a stall themselves. To apply, email [email protected] or pick up an application form from the Glen Innes Visitor Information Centre. Please note: All stallholders must have Public Liability Insurance and food handling certificates if applicable. Sites are limited and you will be advised via email if you have been successful in your application. Applications close Monday 31 October 2022. | | Become a Local Homestay Accommodation Provider - Australian Celtic Festival LJ Hooker Glen Innes is now onboarding local homestay accommodation providers to help us offer more bookable options for our 2023 Australian Celtic Festival participants, performers and visitors | | | If you have a spare room, granny flat, or vacant home close to town that will be available from Thursday 4 to Monday 8 May 2023, you might be a suitable candidate! To enquire and start the onboarding process, complete the online form. Learn more. | | Community Scores Glen Innes Sports Centre The new Glen Innes Indoor Sports Centre was officially opened on Saturday 20 August with a fitting launch from Hon Barnaby Joyce MP Member for New England, Adam Marshall Member for Northern Tablelands, Mayor Rob Banham and Glen Innes Severn Councilors. The stadium is a state-of-the-art facility for community and events, which will attract interest from many sporting associations for tournaments and exhibitions. Proudly funded through $5.5 million in grants received from the NSW Government Regional Sports Facility Fund and Australian Government Building Better Regions Fund. | | | Australian Celtic Cultural Awards 2023 Applications Now Open The Australian Celtic Cultural Awards will be held at the Australian Celtic Festival from Saturday 6 May until Sunday 7 May 2023. This year, we are planning on a worldwide flavour, incorporating the Glen Innes International Celtic Art Festival and charity auction. Across various venues, we are hoping you will feel inspired by the traditional and contemporary Celtic-infused artworks. Learn more. | | Glen Innes Ag Station Celebrates 120 Years Save the date of Saturday 15 October for a wonderful community event - see full details below. Organiser Carmen Elvins is calling out to all businesses and organisations who would like to take up the opportunity to set up a display to highlight their business, a new product or a topic that will interest local producers and other members of the public. If you have any ideas and would like to be involved, phone Carmen on 0422 821 487 or email [email protected]. | | Local Marketing and Promotion Updates | | | Glen Innes Highlands on Social Media If you are sharing content on social media that is relevant to our visitors, businesses, and community, be sure to tag us in your posts, as we regularly share local content via our Glen Innes Highlands Facebook and Instagram accounts. | | | Include the following tags in your social media posts: Facebook: @GlenInnesHighlands Instagram: @gleninneshighland #gleninneshighlands To leverage a wider regional audience, tag New England High Country: Facebook: @newenglandhighcountry Instagram: @nehighcountry #newenglandhighcountry | | Glen Innes Highlands, Where You'd Rather Be Discover a place that's ready to embrace your dreams, cultivate your ideas and celebrate your success. | | | | |